Abthub w



(No Model.)

W. RUMSEY. PRAIRIE FIRE EXTINGI TISHER.

Patented Mar. 2 1886.

*fii 1/9 a- WITNESSES:

N. PETERS, PhnluLilhographer. Wishmglan. D. C.

o frame A, is journaled a roller, D,'which, for

or heaters E, the free ends ,of which-as the roller revolves in direction of arrow 1 while UNITED STATES"- PATENT FFICE.

Al-.tllillllit.VV. RUMSEY, OF NEW KIOWA, KANSAS.

PRAIRIE-FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.331,086, dated March 2, 1886.

Application filed January 13, 1886. Serial No. 188,479. (No model.)

'lb'ctll whom it may concern:

Be it' known that I, ARTHUR W. RUMsEY, of New Kiowa, county of Barber, and State of Kansas, have invented a new and Improved Prairie-Fire Extinguisher, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description. My invention relates to a machine for use in extinguishing prairie-fires, and has forfits object to provide a simple, inexpensive "machine of this character which will operate effectively to beat out lines of fire at each side of a burned track and to burn a swath or belt of grass at or aroundhay-stacks or buildings or farms to make a guard for the protection of property'against approaching fires.

The invention consists in certain novel. features of construction and combination of parts of the fire-extinguisher, all as hereinafter fully set forth.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the'figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved prairie-fire extinguisher. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation of the front part of the machine, with the screen removed. Fig. 3 is a transverse view, partly in vertical section on the line :0 m, Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the machine.

The frame A of the machine consists of opposite side pieces,a a, which are connected at their rear bottom parts by cross-bars a. a", to

which 'the tongue B of the machine is bolted,

said tongue extending rearward, whereby aui- .mals hitched to the cross-beam b, at'the end of the Hague, may push the machine-frame A and attachments before them to extinguish the fire, aspresently explained.

0.;1" anaxle, C, journaled in boxes on the convenience in turning the machine, is or may be madeof two or more parts, two parts being sheSWnin the drawings.

. To the roller Dare fixed the elastic plates the machine moves forwardstrike-'and are bent inward by a series of rollers, F, which are journaled in the frame A, around the periphery of the-main roller D. When the series of rollers F, they will tend" to straighten out and will strike or beat burning prairlegrass with considerable force, and the roller D also will bear its weight on the beaters t'o' smother and extinguish the fire.

To make the operation of the elastic heaters E more effective, I cover their outerffaces, which strike the burning grass, with asbestus cloth or some other fireproof orpartly fireproof fabric, e,"whichwill'hold or absorb .wa;.

ter which falls on the heaters from a perfora'ted' pipe, G,-leading frorna water tank -or'rese'rvoir, H;support-ed on the machineframe'A. The valve I, fitted in pipe G, has a stem-,jz, extending backward and supported in a standard,'=b, on the tongue B, within reach of the driver of the team, who thus may operate the valve to regulate the supply of water from the tank H to the heaters E, as the intensity or condition of the prairie-fire may require, and whereby waste of water may be prevented. The water is supplied to the tank H through holes in its top, closed by pivoted lids h.

' The front roller, F,or a cross-bar fitted in the frame in the position shown for roller F in Fig. 2, would bend the heaters E just before they strike the burning grass, but by provid ing the series of rollers, which range about half-way around and above the main roller D, two other useful purposesv are served-first, the rollers F prevent the revolving heaters from striking the water supply pipe G, and

choking up the perforations of the pipe by the embers, which may to some extent cling to the heaters, and which, if allowed,-would interfere seriously with the proper supply of water to the heaters, and, secondly, the contact of the beaters'with the rollers behind'the front roller, F, extinguishes burning embers or grasses which may by chance stick to the heaters, and. throws or shakes the dead embers or most of them from the beaters, which thus escape from the front roller, F, in a comparatively clean and properly-wet condition to' operate most effectively in extinguishing the fire.

The rollers F F may be substituted by rigid. bars fitted across the frame A of the machine; but the rollers are preferred, -as'- they cause less friction on the faces of the rotatingbeaters, and hence are less liable to strip the waterabsor-bing fabric-or covering 6 from the heaters.

To each side piece. a, of the frame A, is journaled on a gudgeon, j, a disk or' plate, J, to which is journaled on a gudgeon or sheetaxle, Ir, awheel, K, and each plate J is provided with a segment of gear teeth, Z, with which meshes a spur gear-wheel, L, which is fixed to a shaft, M, journaled across the machine-frame, and whereby,when the cranks m of shaft M are turnedin the direction of arrow 2 in Fig. 1, the wheels K on plates J will be swung downward, and .the main roller D will be lifted from thegroun'd, and the forward end of the machine will then be supported on I the wheels K,while the rear end of the ma- I 5 chine will have support on the pilot-wheel N,-;whic h is journaled in a yoke, 0, having a standard, 0, swiveled in the tongue B, and provided with; a; cross-bar or handle, 0, which will be grasped by the driver or attendant to zo'st-eer the machine as itis moved on the wheels A K K N to and from the place of use, or when itisatworkr' Y a When the machine, is adjusted for transjportation over the road, as last above de- 2 5 scribed, a shoulder, j, on each disk or plate J,,will stop against a pin, a, in the side a of the frame A, anda pawl, P, pivoted to the frame'will be swung over to engage a shoulder, j on the plate-J, to hold it securely o against turni'ng either way, and efl'ectively support the main body or front machine on the wheels K. To preventthe beatersE from striking the ground when the machine is runningon the 3 5 wheels K K, I have j ournaled the front roller, F, of the series of rollers F, in bars R, which are pivoted at r to opposite sides of the frame portion of the i, and may he swung downward at the forward ends to carry the roller F backward too 'press the free ends of the heaters in closely to the roller D, as seen in Fig. 1. Bolts or screws 11, at the forward ends of the bars R, hold said bars and the roller F in proper position to flex the heaters-E when the frame is let 4 5 down for operating the heaters, and as shown .in Figs. -2 and 3.

To lower the frame it is on y necessary to lower the crank-shaftM m, in direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow 2, after the pawls P have been thrown back from the shoul- 'dersj of the wheels K will thereby be carried rearward and'npward to the position indicated in Fig. -2, when the roller D will then roll over the 5 5 "ground and press the elastic heaters onto or into the ground in extinguishing the fire, as above described.

A-screen, S, made of asbestus cloth or other suitable fire-proof material, has pockets at 8, 6c whichmay he slipped over or onto posts or rods T,which may be set into holes at it, along either side. of the machine, as may be necessary to guard the animals moving the machine and the attendants from the heat of the prairiefire.

f It is characteristic of prairie-firesto travel With'tho wind and leave a line of fire at each plates J, and the transportingside of the burned track. By propelling my machine over these lines of fire, the lateral spread of the fire may be'prevented, and by running two of the machines abreast a short distance apart, and with lighted torches on the inside, a swath of sufficient width may be burned,while the standing grass at each side, by being thoroughly wet by the machine, will remain, and thus the forward progress of a prairie-fire may be stayed, and houses, barns, or any particular field or acreage may be surrounded and guarded by a burned band or belt across which the fire will not leap, and much property may in this way be saved from destruction.

If preferred, the pipe G may be plugged at its center, and a valve, I, be fitted therein at each side of the plug and he provided with a handle-rod, t, whereby water may be showered upon the heaters at either end or half of the roller D. A seat for the driver may also be fastened to the tongue cross-beam b, behind the standard 0, as will be readily understood;

Having thus fully described my invention,

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, in, a prairie-fire extinguisher, of a frame, a rollerjonrnaled therein, and arms or heaters held to the roller and adapted to strike the burning grass as the roller revolves and to be pressed to the ground by the roller, substantially as herein set forth.

2. ,The combination, in a prairie-fire extinguisher, of a frame, a main roller jonrnaled therein, elastic arms or heaters held at one end to said roller, and an auxiliary roller or cross-bar on the frame acting to bend the elastic heaters prior to their striking the ground as the main roller revolves, substantially as herein set forth.

3. The combination, in a prairie-fire extinguisher, of a frame, a main roller jonrnaled therein, elastic heaters held at one end to said roller, and a series of auxiliary rollers or cross-bars held in the frame around th opper side of the main roller, substantially qlgghewn and described, whereby the heaters will he put in tension to strike the ground and the embers will be cleared from the heaters, herein set forth.

4. The combination, in a prairie-fire exijn guisher, of a frame, a main roller jowna-led therein, heaters held to said roller and adapted to strike the burning grass, and awakendistributing pipe arranged over the waters to wet them, substantially as herein set forth.

5. The combination, in a prairie-fire extinguisher, of a frame, a main roller journaled.

therein, heaters held to said roller and provided with an absorbing fabric, as at e, and a waterdistributing pipe arranged over the heaters to wet them, substantially as herein set forth.

6. The combination, in a prairie-fire extinguisher, of a frame, a main roller journflled therein, elastic heaters held at one end to said roller, and a series of auxiliary rollers or crossbars held in the frame around the upper side of the main roller, a water-tank and a waterdistributing pipe arranged over the main roller, and beaters between two of the auxiliary rollers, substantially as shown and described, whereby the elastic beaters will be put in tension to strike the ground and the embers will be shaken from the beaters and the water-distributing pipe will be protected for effective supply of water to the heaters, as herein set forth.

7. The combination, in a prairie-fire extinguisher, and with a frame, A, a main roller,

D, journaled therein, and beaters held to saidv roller, substantially as specified, of disks J, journaled to frame A, wheels K, journaled to disks J, and mechanism, substantially as described, for raising the frame A and roller D on the wheels K, as and for the purposes herein set forth.

8. The combination, with the frame A, roller D, journaled therein, and beaters held to said roller, of disks J, journaled to frame A, wheels K, journaled to disks J, teeth Z on disks J, shaft M, and gears L on shaft M, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

9. The combination, with the frame A, disks J ,wheels K, and means, substantially as specified, for turning disks J, of stops a and pawls P on frame A, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

10. The combination, with thevframe A, roller D, and heaters E on said roller, of a front auxiliary roller or bar, as at F, held in arms R. pivoted to the frame A, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

11. A prairie fire extinguisher comprising a frame, A, a roller, D, journaled therein, heaters E on said roller, a tongue, B, fixed to frame A and extending backward therefrom, and a pilot-wheel, N, swiveled to the tongue, substantially as herein set forth.

12. The combination, in a prairie-fire extinguisher, of a frame, A, a roller, D, journaled therein, beaters E on said roller, a tongue, ']3, fixed to frame A and extended backward therefrom, disks J, journaled to frame A, wheels K, journaled to disks J, means, substantially as specified, for operating-said disks to support frame Aon wheels K, and a pilot-wheel, N, swiveled at the back end of the tongue B, substantially as herein set forth.

13. The combination, in a prairiefire extinguisher, of a frame, A, provided with a back wardly-extending tongue and supportingwheels, a roller, 'D, journaled in frame A, beaters E on said roller, a water-distributing pipe, G, arranged over said roller and adapted to wet the beaters, avalve, I, in said pipe, and a stem or rod, '5, extended from'saidvalve to the back end of the tongue, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

14. The combination, with the frame A and tongue B of a fire-extinguisher provided with holes 1. at each side, of rods T, adapted for support in said holes, and a screen, S, sup ported by said rods, substantially as herein set forth.

ARTHUR W. RUMSEY. Witnesses:

Anson I. BENTLEY, FRANK HOLMES. 

